New Polymers with Controlled Architecture

具有可控表面功能的单分散树突状大分子将通过两种方法制备。第一种方法涉及一种新颖的“收敛”方法，在这种方法中，大分子的生长从将成为其外表面的地方开始，并通过多能单体与生长中的聚合物的单一反应基团的反复耦合向内进行，而第二种方法使用更经典的固相方法。“收敛生长”方法对最终球形大分子外表面官能团的数量和空间位置提供了无与伦比的控制。一旦制备完成，树突分子将用于制备具有不同寻常结构和性能的新大分子组件。这将通过在涉及接枝、嵌段聚合或偶联反应的过程中修饰表面官能团来完成。特别是，线性聚合物链在树突状大分子外表面可控位置的生长将被研究。这些新的大分子组件的合成将导致新材料具有新颖的性质，因为它们具有不同寻常的拓扑结构，均匀的小尺寸（30-100）A)，对称或不对称的表面功能化，强分子偶极子的存在，手性的存在等。预计这些新材料将在分子运输、催化和光电子等领域得到广泛应用。

Monodispersed dendritic macromolecules having controlled surface functionality will be prepared by two methods. The first involves a novel "convergent" approach in which growth of the macromolecule starts at what will become its external surface and proceeds inwards through repeated coupling of a polyfunctional monomer to the single reactive group of the growing polymer, while the second method uses a more classical solid-phase approach. The "convergent growth" approach provides unparalleled control of both the number and the spatial location of the functional groups at the outer surface of the final spheroidal macromolecule. Once prepared, the dendritic molecules will be used to prepare new macromolecular assemblies with unusual architectures and properties. This will be done through modification of the surface functional groups in processes involving grafting, block polymerization, or coupling reactions. In particular, the growth of linear polymer chains form controlled locations on the outer surface of dendritic macromolecules will be studied. The synthesis of these new macromolecular assemblies will lead to new materials with novel properties resulting from their unusual topology, their uniform small size (30-100) A), their symmetrical or unsymmetrical surface functionalization, the existence of strong molecular dispoles, the presence of chirality, etc. Applications of these new materials are anticipated in areas as varied as molecular transport, catalysis, and optoelectronics.